SOILS FEETILIZEBS. 521 



" Reports received from farmers who have conducted iuoculation tests with 

 cultures distributed by the Departmeut of Agriculture during the past 7 

 years give an average of 76 per cent success and 24 per cent failure, if only 

 those reports are considered that make possible some determination regarding 

 the action of cultures. If previously inoculated fields, crop failures, and such 

 other doubtful cases are included with the failures the percentage of success for 

 this same period is reduced to 38. 



"The organism producing nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots of legumes 

 has been isolated and cultivated since 1903; di Rossi's contention that the 

 proper organism had not been isolated prior to his work in 1907 appears with- 

 out foundation. 



" By a new technique it has been possible to stain the flagella of this organ- 

 ism. Instead of bearing a single polar flagellum it is supplied with several 

 peritrichic flagella. The proper designation of the organism, therefore, is 

 BaciUus radicwola."' 



Azotogen, nitragin, or inoculated soil? H. von Feilitzen (Svenska Moss- 

 kulturfor. Tidski:, 25 (1911), No. 3, pp. 211-227, figs. 10).— The substance of 

 this article has been noted elsewhere (E. S. R., 25, p. 123). 



Bacteriological studies of the fixation of nitrogen in certain Colorado soils, 

 W. G. Sackett {Abs. in ^Science, n. ser., 35 (1912). No. 893, p. 228). — The paper 

 of which this is an abstract is published in full in Bulletin 179 of the Colorado 

 Station (E. S. R., 25, p. 815). 



A study of the assimilation of the mineral matter of the soil by plants 

 (Bui. Sta. Agron. Somme, 1910-11, pp. 37-42, figs. 3). — In pot experiments with 

 colza grown in various combinations of sand and loam soil it was found that the 

 largest yield was obtained in the pot containing pure sand above and increasing 

 proportions of loam from the top downward. All of the plants which were 

 started in sand produced longer and more numerous fruits than those started 

 in soil. In the pot which was filled with equal amounts of sand and soil, sepa- 

 rated vertically, the smallest plant was produced in the sand, the largest in 

 the soil, while the plant growing midway between the two was of medium size. 

 The author is of the opinion that this indicates that the growth of plants is 

 largely dependent upon the action of the roots upon the soil in which it grows 

 and not upon the composition and concentration of the soil solution, since he 

 thinks it reasonable to suppose that during the 3 months of the experiment 

 referred to the soil solution should have become uniformly distributed through- 

 out the pot and contributed as freely to the nourishment of the plant in the 

 sand as of that in the soil half of the pot. 



Fertility and fertilizer hints, J. E. Halligan (Easton, Pa., and London, 

 1911, pp. VI I +155, figs. 12). — This is an abridgment of a larger book by the 

 chemist of the Louisiana State Station entitled Soil Fertility and Fertilizers. 

 The book is intended for the use of farmers, students, and general readers. 

 It discusses principles and maintenance of soil fertility, farm manures, lime, 

 gypsum and green manures, commercial fertilizers, and the home mixing of 

 fertilizers, and gives advice regarding the purchase of fertilizers. References 

 are given to the other work of which this is an abridgment for fuller informa- 

 tion on many of the topics discussed. 



How the scientific farmer fertilizes his soil, W. H. Beal (Sci. Anier., 106 

 (1912), No. 6, pp. 130, 131, figs. 5).— The more important scientific principles 

 underlying the efl5cient use of fertilizers are briefly discussed in the light of 

 recent investigations on the subject. 



Water and fertilizing, Gerlach (lUtis. Landw. Ztg., 31 (1911), Nos. 96, pp. 

 889, 890; 97, pp. 896, 897). — Experiments are reported which show that the use 



